Fire-escape.



No. 787,894. PATBNTED APR. 18, 1905. J. PETERS.

FIRE ESCAPE.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 30 1904.

z SHEETS-SHEET 1.

PATENTBD APR. 18, 1905.

J. PETERS.

FIRE ESCAPE.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE so, 1904.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

UNTTED STATES Patented April 18, 1905.

PATENT OFFICE.

JOSEPH PETERS, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-FOURTH TO PETER FOOELBERO, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

FIRE-ESCAPE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 787,394, dated April 1 9, 1905.

Application filed June 30, 1904. Serial No. 214,7 i0.

To 11// [Flt/m1, if ntrz l concern:

Be it known that I, Josnrn Pn'rnns, a citizen of the United States, residing at Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have 5 invented new and useful Improvements in Fire-Escapes, of which the following is a specil'ication.

This invention relates particularly to that class of lire-escapes in which a rope is wound O upon a drum contained in a casing secured when in use to the person of the user, the upper end of the rope being attached to the window-ledge or other support. A brake operated by centrifugal force is provided to regulate the speed of the descent.

The invention is characterized particularly by improvements with respect to the brake mechanism and with respect to other details of construction, as will more fully hereinafter appear.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a perspective view illustrating the manner of use of the device. Fig. 2 is a front elevation, the front of the casing being removed. Fig.

3 is a central vertical section. Fig. I is a plan view showing the pawl and ratchet on the wiruling-drum. Fig. 5 is a detail in plan of the rope-guide which causes the rope to wind evenly on the drum. Fig. 6 is a detail in per- 0 spective of a roller which bears upon the drum and causes the rope to wind smoothly and tightly thereon. Fig. 7 is a detail of the brake mechanism. Fig. 8 is a detail in perspective, showing the brake-shoe.

Referring specifically to the drawings, (3 indicates the casing of the device, preferably formed of tin or light sheet metal, and T in die-ates a waistband by which the sleeve is secured to the body of the user. A stout metal frame 8 within the body of the casing supports the operative parts. and to the lower end of this frame are attached ropes 9, having at the end loops 11) to receive the feet of the user. This construction permits the hands of the user to be free for other purposes. The running-rope 11, preferably made of wire, extends through an opening in the top of the casing and winds upon a drum 12, the axle 13 of which is properly supported in a frame.

At the front end the axle has a rewinding- 5 pawls slip when the rope is rewonnd on the drum, so as to not operate the brake mechanism. At the top of the frame are rods 19, extending between the front and back pieces of the frame, and on those rods slide a guideblock 20, through an opening in which the rope 11 runs. Directly under the opening is an antifriction-roller 21 to prevent binding of the rope in the opening. A pin 22 projects from the block 20 and into a cam-groove in the roller QI, the shaft of which carries a bevel-gear 25, in mesh with the bevel-gear 26 on the shaft 27, which is carried in suitable brackets 28, iixed to the frame, and has at its lower end a spur-pinion 2S), meshing with the worm 15 on the drum-shaft 13. \Vhen the rope is rcwound, the cam-roller causes the block 21) to move back and forth along the rods 19, laying the rope in even layers around the drum, and when the apparatus is in use the same device causes the rope to pay out smoothly and freely without danger of knots or kinks to stop the escape. The action is also assisted by a roller 30, which is carried by a bracket 31, pivoted upon a bolt 32, se-

cured to the frame. The bracket is so arranged that it extends between the flanges of the drum and bears upon the rope-coil thereon under pressure of a spring 3;), connected between the bracke. and the frame. The

roller 30 bears tightly against the rope and insures a close and even wind of the rope upon the drum, preventing looping and tangles generally.

The spur-wheel I6 is in mesh with a pinion 3% on a stud 35, projecting from the frame, 0

and said pinion is secured to a spur-gear 36, which in turn is in mesh with a pinion 37 on the shaft of the centrifugal brake.

39 indicates a friction-ring securely fixed to the frame, and arrangci'l to gear upon the inner face of this ring is a pair of brake-shoes IO, pivoted to brackets I1, pro ect1ng from a sleeve I2, fixed upon the shaft 58.

43 indicates arms which are pivoted at 44 t0 the brackets 41 at right angles to the axis of the brake-shaft. One end of each of these arms carries a weight 45, and the other end is hooked, as at 46, over a cam-surface 47 at the end of a piece 48, which forms part of the lever, the front end of which carries the brake-shoe 40. The sections 48 and 49 of this lever or device are pivoted together at 50 and are normally held in straight position by a spring 51, connected to studs 52 on said parts. The rotation of the brake-shaft is effected by the gear-wheels above described, and the effect thereof is to cause the weighted arms to tend to assume a straight position at right angles to the axis of the shaft 38. The movement of the arms causes the hooks 46 to bear down or in upon the cam-surfaces 47, which has the effect of turning the levers 48 and 49 upon the pivots 53, forcing the shoes 40 against the ring 39. WVhen the desired limit of pressure is reached, the spring 51 yields, so that no greater pressure is applied except as such may be due to increased tension under the influence of the weighted arms, and it will be understood that the spring 51 is of proper strength to insure an easy descent for a person of average weight. The gearing between the drum-shaft 13 and the brake-shaft 38 is such that the speed is greatly multiplied. Consequently slight pressure of the brake-shoes 40 is sufiicient to produce the action desired. Should the person be so light that the descent is too slow, it can be accelerated by turning the crank 14, or should the person be so heavy that the speed is too great it can be retarded by holding back on the crank 14, or the same effects may be eifected by pulling one way or the other on the rope 11. As Will be observed, the hands of the user are free for either of these purposes.

The rope winding mechanism above described prevents the rope from becoming accidentally unwound even when wire rope is used and in connection with the brake apparatus insures a device which will be ready and capable of efiicient action when required.

What I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

In a fire-escape, the combination with a drum and a rope wound thereon, of a brakeshaft geared to the drum, a fixed friction-ring extending around the shaft, brake-levers carried by the shaft and having at one end shoes arranged to contact with the ring, and having cam-faces at the other end, brackets extending from the shaft and weighted levers pivoted upon said brackets at right angles to the brake-levers and having projections bearing upon said faces, as and for the purpose de scribed.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

JOSEPH PETERS. Witnesses:

ELSA PROSCHE, H. G. BATCHELOR. 

